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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · bound · straw · fine · bay · degree · cabinet · plane

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — certain
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. degree — temperature
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fine — high quality
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. plane — a tool
  17. degree — an amount
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bound — tied together
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — obliged
  24. straw — dry grass

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com